Board Games xx is great but the theme is ...

[Zarniwoop]

I got to thinking the other day, how often do people quote in reviews or conversations that a games theme is "tacked" on or not integral to the game or some other detrimental comment on the theme. Now I am guilty of these type of comments, as much as anyone else so this is where my thinking went...

When we actually teach a game to new players how often do we as teachers skip the flavour text, Story introduction etc in order to quickly put across the mechanics and get on with playing the game?? Well I certainly am guilty of that and when we do this, mostly in order to reduce the time it takes to get the rules across to people, we are ripping the theme away. Maybe this is what fuels the thoughts the theme is not strong, as we are not doing it the justice it deserves.

I accept that even when we do try and make the effort some games still fall short thereby genuinely earning the bad theme comments. I just feel that maybe sometimes we are too quick to judge based on our riding over the theme in order to get to playing a game quicker.

I am just curious to know what other people think, there is no right or wrong answer to this but it is certainly worth some thought. The designers have put a lot of time, thought and effort into these games we should at least take the time to consider are we doing their games justice in how we put them across to others....

[EvilGinger]

I will admit to being guilty of this too with role-playing games even ones whose theme - background is the reason I play them at all. I feel however that with both if the theme is integrated into the game & the mechanics reflect & re emphasise it continually then its much easier to appreciate it. I would also plead in my defence that I mostly do this sort of thing to get on and play the game as lengthy rules expositions tend to affect me in the same way as Vogon poetry.....


 Ginger

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

Board-game wise, Jamie's copy of Betray at House on the Hill is particularly good for encouraging a fluffy feeling. The fact that the characters you pick between all have amusing bio's (we usually read out the ones of the characters we've chosen), and the fact that the backstories/identity/etc of the characters has a potentially quite important role in the game once the haunting thingy actually happens really helps. (As does the fact that the second half of the game is so wildly different almost every time).